Building and floor foundation



Oct. 6, 1942. H. .1. VON ROSENBERG 2,298,184

BUILDING AND FLOOR FOUNDATION Filed May 31, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l "it"; 7.2 ".37. i i a gvwc/wbcw HJvvn Raaaniary Oct. 6, 1942.

Filed May 31, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N 5 5 a 5 z /w i 6 5 f a v.- Z I M 4/ 7 N 4 5 5 4 4v 6 6 I f Z x I Oct. 6, 1942. H. J. voN ROSENBERG 2,293,134

BUILDING AND FLOOR FOUNDATION V 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 31, 1941 x ia a7 \y/ v, /6 y 95 HZI/On OSBYZZGT;

Oct. 6, 1942.

H. J. VON ROSENBERG BUILDING AND FLOOR FOUNDATION 4 Sheets-She et 4 Filed May 31, 1941 Patented Oct. 6, 1 942 f UNITE srarss PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to building foundations.

At the present time in preparing the foundation for a building, particularly where there is no cellar under the building, channels are formed in the ground for receiving the grade beams and in order to provide for the proper formation of the beam these channels are made wide and deep enough to receive forms on three faces of the beams, which are later removed and the intervening space caused by removal of the forms is filled in with dirt. Where the grade beam is formed in this manner the bottom of the beam contacts directly with the earth channel or the back-filled earth, and the moisture from rain or other sources causes the earth to swell exerting vertical pressure on the beam bottom and frequently cracks the beam.

In addition to the foregoing, the filling in of the space occupied by the form permits the surface moisture to flow down alongside the beam 4 and thence into the column footing excavation, thereby softening the earth supporting the column and causing settlement.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a preformed sofiit construction, which is adapted to be placed beneath the grade beam so as to provide a dead air space below the beam in order that the bottom of the beam will be held out of contact with the earth and provide a space to receive the expanded earth.

Another object of this invention is to provide a grade beam support in the form of a precast soffit which may be placed in a channel formed in the earth which is only sufficiently large to receive the soflit, so that no subsequent filling in is necessary and the surface moisture cannot enter beneath the beam. With a construction of this kind the channel above the precast soffit may be made only sufficiently wide to permit the sides of the channel to constitute the form of the grade beam, although if desirable plywood. form or other elements may be placed along the sides of the channel and such elements gradually removed as th concrete for the beam is poured. In this manner the grade beam will entirely fill the channel above the soflit so that no surface moisture will be able to flow down the outer side of the beams. With a construction of this kind considerable economy results from the reduced size of the grade beam channel, and the elimination of forms below grade, and there is no possibility of any vertical pressure being exerted on the beam by swelling of the ground below the beam. Any swelling of the chamber formed by the sofiit so that such swelling of the ground will not exert any vertical pressure on either the soflit or the beam.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved foundation or support for a fioor structure whereby the floor may be formed as a concrete slab and either closed or open air spaces or channels formed beneath the floor. These spaces or elements may be ventilated or be used as a means for heating the fioor, or they may be used as dead air spaces for insulating the floor.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved floor foundation so that air spaces i will not only be formed below the floor, but the floor will be tied or locked to the channel forming support and the effective depth of the floor slab will be materially increased and self-supporting from one beam to another.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved floor foundation which is so constructed as to not only provide channels beneath the floor, but provide a fiat surface constituting a lower form or support for the rough To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a sofiit construction according to an embodiment of this invention having a grade beam mounted thereon,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an intermediate soifit showing the soffit in an inverted position for facility of reference.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end sofiit with the sofilt in an inverted position as may be required for beams intersecting girders or columns at a level above the lowest beam or girder,

Figure 4 is a vertical section of a modified form of soffit,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the soflit shown in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a vertical section of a foundation construction embodying a grade beam sofiit similar to that shown in Figure 1 and including an,

ground beneath the soffit will occur in the closed improved floor supporting means,

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the floor supporting means shown in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a vertical section of a foundation embodying a further construction of floor supporting means,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical section of a foundation embodying the soffit shown in Figures 4 and and including an improved floor supporting means,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a channeled tile adapted for use in a floor supporting construction,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical section of a foundation embodying a further form of floor supporting means,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary vertical section of a foundation including a further form of, floor supporting means,

Figure 13 is a perspective View of one of the floor supporting elements shown in Figure 12,

Figure 14 is a vertical section of a. sofiit structure similar to that shown in Figure 1 0; s

Figure 15 is a vertical section of a further modified form of sofiit structure,

Figure 16 is a vertical section of a further modified form of sofiit structure, 7 h v Figure 1'7 is a vertical section of a further modification of the sofiit structure shown in Figure 10,

Figure 18 is a further modification of soffit structure, I

Figure 19 is a further modification of soffit structure similar to that shown in Figure l5;

Figure 20 is a further modification of sofilt structure,

Figure 21 is a further modification of the soffit structure shown in Figure 20,

Figure 22 is a further modification of soifit structure, and s Figure 23 is a further modification of soffit structure similar to that shown in Figures 15 and 19.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral l5 designatesa channel or trench which is dug in the ground for the desired depth in order to receive concrete or the like for construction of a grade beam. The channel or trench I5 is formed with vertically disposed parallel sides and a horizontally disposed bottom Hi. In order to provide a means whereby the grade beam 11, which is formed in the trench or channel l5, may be supportedin upwardly spaced relation to the bottom l6 of the trench for the purpose of preventing any vertical pressure being exerted on the beam I! due to swelling of the ground under moisture conditions, I have provided a soffit generally designated as 18-.

The soffit i8 is U-shaped in transverse sectionand includes vertically disposed side wall forming members l9 and 2!], which have vertical outer side faces 2| and 22 respectively. The inner face of the side wall I9 is upwardly and maybe inwardly inclined, as at 23, and the inner face '24 of the side wall 2D may be also upwardly and inwardly inclined. The top wall "or web 25 is substantially of uniform thickness throughout its width and length and is formed or cast integrally with the side wall members l9 and. 20. The upper face 26 of the top wall 25 is disposed at right angles to the outer surfaces 21 and 22 and the bottom of the grade beam I1 is adapted to' rest on the upper surface 26 of the top wall 25.

The bottom faces 21 and 28 of the side wall members is and 20 are adapted to rest on the bottom wall It of the channel 15. so that when the soffit I8 is in position and the grade beam IT has been poured in the channel [5, a dead air space 30 will be provided below the grade beam II. In this manner no moisture from the bottom [6 of the channel IE will be able to come into contact with the grade beam l1 and in the construction of the channel [5, this channel may have the side walls thereof spaced apart a distance equal to or slightly greater than the width of the top wall 25 of the soffit I8, so that the soffit may be easily placed in position and so that grade beam I! will entirely fill the channel [5. Under certain conditions during the pouring of the concrete forming the grade beam I1 plywood or other suitable form members may be extended into the channel l5 above the soffit l8 and these plywood form members may be gradually withdrawn as the concrete is poured into the channel [5, These plywood form members may be provided in order to prevent the sides of the channel or trench l5 caving in prior to the pouring of the plastic concrete which forms the grade beam 11.

In practice, the sofiit I8 is formed of any suitable length and materialwhich may be convenient for proper handling and there may be a number of these sofiit member's l8 disposed in end abutting relation throughout the length of the trench or channel [5. At the ends of the channels 15 there may be positioned an end solfit Illd which is similar in construction in every detail to the soffi't I8 with the exception that an end'wall 3| is provided which connects the two side walls |9a and 20a together. With a sofiit construction as shown in Figures 1 to-3, inclusive, there will be a considerable economy including a saving of time in the formation of the trench or channel I5 and the elimination of forms below grade and changing beam foriris above grade to cheaper wall or curb forms, and in addition the undisturbed earth about the channel I5 will not permit any surface water or moisture to flow downwardly along the outer or inner sides of the grade beam I1. At the present time where form members are put into position within the trench l5 and later removed. iti's necessary to fill in the space occupied by the form members and this filled earth being substantially loose will permit surface moisture to flow down the sides of the grade beam and engage beneath the bottom of the grade beam so as to thereby soften the supporting soil and permit the same to be compressed by the weight of the beam and heavily loaded footings resulting in settle ment and cracking of the foundation.

In Figures 4 and 5, there is disclosed a modified form of so'ffi t construction which includes a precast 's'ofiit which is of substantially H form in transverse section. The soffit shown in Figures-4 and 5 includes vertically disposed side walls 32 and 33, which are connected together by a top wall 34. The outer faces of the side walls 32' and 33 are vertical and parallel and in the present instance the side wall 32 is extended, as; at 35', above the upper surface of the top wall 34. In like manner the side wall 3'3 is extended upwardly as at 36 above the upper surface of the top wall 34-. The extensions 35 and 36 have their outer surfaces coincident with the outer surfaces of the lower side wall membersfl and 33, and the grade beam-3'! is adapted to be formed above the top wall 33 with a portion 33 bf the grade beam disposed between the sidewall extensions -35 and 3 6'. The side walls 32 and '33 and the top wall 3 l form a dead air space 39 below the top wall -34, so that any moisture seeping down along the sides of the sofiit construction and entering the chamber 39 will be prevented from coming into contact with the lower end of the grade beam 31. In addition any swelling action occurring in the bottom 48 of the channel 4| will not exert any vertical pressure on the bottom of the grade beam 31. It will be understood that the soflit construction shown in Figures 4 and 5 may include an end soffit provided with an end wall similar to that shown in Figure 3 for closing the ends of the channel 39.

In Figures 6 and 7 there is disclosed a founda tion construction including a soffit l8, which is mounted in a trench or channel |5 formed in the ground and a grade beam extends upwardly from the top wall 25 of the sofit |8.. In certain instances it is desirable to form a concrete floor slab 42, which may be cast integral with the grade beam It is also desirable in forming the floor slab 42 that a series of channels be provided beneath the slab 42 so that the swelling of the surface 43 of the ground below the slab 42 will not materially affect the condition of the floor slab 42. In order to provide for the formation of these channels I have provided a plurality of U-shaped channel forming and floor slab supporting members generally designated as 44. These channel forming and floor supporting members 44 include a top wall 45 and vertically disposed side walls 46. A dead air space 41 will be formed between the side walls 45 and the top wall 45. The side walls 46 on their outer sides are provided with a longitudinally extending rib or flange 48 which is positioned in upwardly spaced relation to the lower end of a side wall 46.

Where a number of these floor supporting members 44 are disposed in sidewise abutting relation the adjacent flanges or ribs 48 will be disposed in abutting relation as shown in Figure 6, so as to thereby form a lower dead air space or channel 49 and an upper channel 58. The upper channel 58 is disposed above the ribs 48 and the concrete forming the floor 42 is adapted to extend downwardly into the upper channel 58 thereby forming a connecting rib 5| which rests on a pair of abutting ribs 48 and also ties the adjacent side walls 46 of a pair of adjacent channel members 44 together.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is disclosed a further form of building construction wherein the grade beam I! is disposed within the channel l5 and entirely fills the channel I5, the soflit in the present instance may or may not be omitted. The floor slab 42a is formed integral with the grade beam l1 and in order to provide suitable channels and supporting means for the floor 42a I have provided a pluralty of lower U- shaped supporting members 52, which are initially precast and a pair of endwise spaced apart box-shaped floor supporting members 53 and 54 have their adjacent or confronting ends mounted on the top of the U-shaped member 52. These box-shaped supporting members 53 and 54 are of like construction and include parallel side walls 55, a top wall 56 and vertical end walls 51. An outer supporting member, generally designated as 58, is adapted to support the outer end portion of the box member 53 and abuts against the inner side of the grade beam ll. The supporting member 58 includes a substantially U-shaped member including parallel side walls 59 and 68, a top wall 6| and an inner side wall extension 62, which is formed integral with the inner side wall 59 and extends upwardly from the top wall 6|,

The outer end of the supporting member 53 is adapted to rest on the u per edge of the side wall extension 62. The U-shaped member formed by the side walls 59 and 68 and the top wall 6| forms an air channel 63 and the supporting members 53 and 54 form an air channel 64 between the U-shaped lower member 52. The spacing of the adjacent ends of the supporting members 53 and 54 from each other forms a channel 65 within which the plastic concrete forming the slab 42a is adapted to engage so as to tie the supporting members 53 and 54 together and form a reinforcing rib to thereby materially increase the depth of the floor slab and make it self-supporting from one beam to another.

In Figure 9 there is disclosed a further foundation construction using the soffit shown in Figures 4 and 5 for the grade beam 31. The floor slab 42b is cast integral with the grade beam 31 and in order to provide the desired air channels 66 below the slab 42b, I have provided a plurality of sidewise spaced apart U-shaped channel forming members generally designated as 61. These channel forming members 61 are disposed in an inverted position and each member includes vertically disposed side walls 88 and a horizontally disposed top wall 69. As shown in Figure 9, the outermost channel member 61 is disposed in spaced relation to the inner side extension 35 of the sofiit and an insulating element 18 is interposed between the outer side wall 68 of the channel forming member 6! and the extension 35. This insulating element 18 is provided in order to prevent direct contact between the beam extension H and the prepared surface of the ground.

Between the adjacent side walls of adjacent U-shaped members 61 and 61a, there is also positioned an insulating material or element 72 which is shorter in height than the height of the side walls 68, so that when the plastic material forming the floor slab 42 is poured this material will engage the space 13 between the adjacent U- shaped members 61 and 67a. There may also be provided an air channel forming member generally designated as '|4, which is disposed in an inverted position and is interposed between the two adjacent U-shaped members 61a and 61b. The inverted U-shaped member 14 prevents contact between the rib 15, which is formed integral with the slab 42b and the prepared surface of the ground, so that any swelling of the ground below the rib 15 will be absorbed in the air space 18 formed by the inverted U-member 14.

In Figure 10 there is disclosed a grade beam soffit or a floor slab supporting member, generally designated as 11, which is adapted to be interposed between the prepared floor surface and the floor slab. This slab supporting member TI includes a top wall 18, outer side walls 19 and a bottom wall 88. A pair of intermediate walls or partitions 8| and 82 are connected to the top and bottom walls 19 and 88 respectively thereby forming air channels 83, 84 and 85. Preferably the bottom wall 88 is cut away between the outer side walls 19 and the partitions 8| and 82, so that the lower ends of the side walls 19 and the partitions 8| and 82 will engage on the prepared surface. If larger air channels or less bearing as at 21 and 28, Figure 1, are desired one or more of the partitions 8| and 82 may be removed. Preferably the supporting member 11 is constructed in the form of a hollow tile which may be formed of concrete or baked material.

In Figure 11 there is also disclosed another form of building foundation construction which includes a grade beam I'I similar to that shown in Figure 1 and a U-shaped sofiit I8 at the lower end of the grade beam. A floor slab 86 is adapted to be supported above the prepared surface 81 by means of a plurality of U-shaped precast floor slab supporting members 68. These supporting members 83 include vertically disposed side wall members 89 and a top wall member 96, which is cast 01' formed integral with the side wall members B9. are disposed in spaced apart relation so as to thereby form air channels SI between adjacent supporting members 88 and in addition there is formed an air channel 92 between the side members 29 and below the top member 96 of each supporting member 83.

In Figures 12 and 13 there is disclosed a further form of floor slab supporting means which may be associated with the grade beam I1 and a sofiit I 8. A floor slab 93 is adapted to be supported by a plurality of edge abutting supporting members generally designated as 94. These supporting members 3 include supporting side walls 95, which are of downwardly convergent configuration and which are cast or formed integral with a connecting top wall 95. Laterally extending flanges 97 are formed integral with the top wall 95 so that pairs of these supporting members 94 may be disposed in edge abutting relation with adjacent flanges Ill contacting with each other. In this manner a smooth flat top surface will be provided for the floor slab 93, which will also constitute the lower face of a form for the slab 93. The lower ends of the legs or side wall members 35 are adapted to engage on the upper prepared surface 93 of the ground and there is formed between each pair of legs or supporting walls 95 an air channel 99 and between the side walls of adjacent supporting members 94 there is also formed a smaller channel I60. The legs 95 are shorter in length than the length of the top wall 96 so that there will also be formed transverse air channels.

t will be understood that the grade beam and floor soffits herein shown may be interchanged one with another as conditions warrant, the arrangements shown being merely illustrative of one use of these soffits.

In Figure 14 there is disclosed a softlt structure similar to that shown in Figure with the soffit TI mounted in a relatively shallow trench and the grade beam rising from the top wall 18 of the sofiit II. In this form the bottom wall 83 has been retained and the several dead air channels or spaces 63, 84, and 85 are closed by the top and bottom walls 18 and 33 respectively, and the side walls I9 together with the partitions BI and 82. In Figure 17 there is disclosed a soffit structure similar to that shown in Figure 14, the soffit being designated generally by the numeral IDI. This sciit is rectangular in transverse section and includes a top wall I82, a bottom wall I93, side walls 50 and an intermediate partition I64, which divides the interior of the soflit into a pair of dead air chambers 433 and I31. This sofiit IIlI may be used for engagement on the upper surface of the prepared ground or if desired, it may be positioned within a trench of the desired depth. The grade beam 618 is initially formed of plastic material which engages between conventional forms and the grade beam I68 extends upwardly from the top wall I82.

In Figure 16 there is disclosed a scfilt structure I69 which is rectangular in transverse section and is adapted to be mounted in a trench III].

The floor slab supporting members 88- The soflit I09 includes a top wall I I I,a bottom wall 2 and side walls H3. The grade beam H4 is mounted on top of the top wall III and the bottom of the grade beam H4 is substantially flush with the prepared surface of the ground.

In Figure 22 there is disclosed a soffit structure generally designated as I I5, which is mounted in a trench H6. The soflit I I5 is constructed in the form of a truncated triangle in transverse section which has the base III uppermost and the smaller end I I8 constitutes the bottom wall. The side walls II9 diverge upwardly from the bottom wall H8 and form an interior chamber I20 and also a pair of triangularly-shaped channels or chambers I2I between the outer sides of the side walls H9 and the adjacent faces of the trench H6. The grade beam I22 is partly disposed within the trench H6 and rises upwardly therefrom with the bottom of the grade beam I22 resting on the top wall III of the sofiit II5.

Referring now to Figure 15 there is disclosed a tubular or hollow soflit structure I23, which is triangularly-shaped in transverse section and is adapted to be disposed in a V-shaped trench I24. The soifit I23 has the base I2 5 thereof uppermost and the side walls I 26 are disposed in downwardly convergent relation. A dead air space I2I is formed within the area encompassed 'by the top wall I25 and the sides I26.

In Figure 19 there is disclosed a soffit structure I23, which is similar to the soflit shown in Figure 15, but the sofiit I23 in Figure 19 is adapted to be mounted in a trench I28, which is rectangular in transverse section and the top wall I25 of the sofilt I23 is substantially flush with the prepared surface I29. The grade beam I30 rises from the top wall I25 and is initially cast between the forms which extend upwardly from the precast somt I23.

In Figure 18 there is disclosed a further modified form of soflit structure generally designated as I-3I, which is formed substantially semi-circular in transverse section and is positioned in an inverted position so as to form a. semi-cylindrical air channel I32. The sofiit I3I is adapted to be mounted in a trench I33 and the grade beam I34 is cast or formed on top of the soffit I3I.

Referring now to Figure 20, there is disclosed a soifit structure including a pair of cylindrical or tubular soilit members I35 and I36, which are disposed in side-by-side relation and engage within the trench I31. If desired the confronting or adjacent sides of the tubular members I35 and I36 may be cast integral so that the soifit structure I35I36 will be constructed in the form of a double tubular element on top of which grade beam I38 may be formed.

In Figure 21 there is disclosed a sofiit structure including a pair of tubular or cylindrical soflit members I39 and M0 which are similar to the sofiit members I35 and I36 and engage in a trench I-4I. A top plate I42 engages on the upper portions of the two soflit members I39 and I40, and if desired may be cast integral with these two tubular soifit members. The grade beam I43 is cast on top of the plate I42.

Referring now to Figure 23 there is disclosed a soflit structure somewhat similar to the sofiits shown in Figures 15 and 19, the soifit structure shown in Figure 23 including a pair of triangularshaped hollow bodies or tubular members I44 and I45, which are disposed with their bases I46 and I41 respectively uppermost and the bases I46 and M1 are connected together by a connecting wall I48, which is preferably formed or cast integrally with the bases I46 and I41. A grade beam I 49 is formed on top of the wall, which includes the bases I I-6 and M1 and the connecting wall I48.

The sofiits shown in Figures 14 to 23 are all of precast concrete material and as shown in these figures these sofiits may be used either on top of the prepared surface, partly embedded or extended into a shallow trench or disposed entirely within a trench which is of suflicient depth to permit a portion of the grade beam to be also positioned within the trench.

What I claim is:

1. In a building foundation construction including a monolithic grade beam, means for supporting said beam with the lower edge thereof spaced from the ground, said means comprising a precast U-shaped member having vertical outer sides and disposed in inverted position whereby to form a closed air chamber below said beam.

2. In a building foundation construction including a monolithic grade beam, means for supporting said beam with the lower edge thereof spaced from the ground, said means comprising a precast U-shaped member having vertical outer sides and disposed in inverted position whereby to form a closed air chamber below said beam, and a pair of upwardly extending side members integral with said U-shaped member, the outer sides of said pair of members being coplanar with the first named vertical sides.

3. In combination a precast grade beam supporting member having a U-shaped configuration in transverse section and disposed in inverted position, and a monolithic grade beam resting upon and extending upwardly from said member.

4. The method of forming a grade beam for a building foundation which includes forming a trench or channel in the earth with vertical sides which are spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of the grade beam, inserting a precast soflit having an inverted U-shape in the bottom of the trench, and pouring plastic concrete on top of the sofiit in a quantity sufiicient to substantially fill the trench or channel.

5. The method of forming a. grade beam for a building foundation which includes forming a trench or channel in the earth with parallel vertical sides which are spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of the grade beam, inserting a precast sofiit of substantially H configuration in transverse section in the bottom of the trench, and pouring plastic concrete on top of the sofiit in a quantity sufficient to substantially fill the trench and also to fill the upwardly opening portion of the soffit.

6. In combination, a precast grade beam supporting member having the configuration of an H in transverse section, said member being positioned with the opposite parallel sides thereof vertical to thereby form upper and lower channels, and a grade beam formed of initially plastic material engaging in said upper channel and rising therefrom.

HERBERT J. VON ROSENBERG. 

